Ministry of Defence – The Romania Journalhttps://www.romaniajournal.ro
Daily news in English from RomaniaSat, 13 Apr 2019 13:09:49 +0000en-GB
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3232Four Romanian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan. President Iohannis conveys messagehttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/society-people/four-romanian-soldiers-wounded-in-afghanistan-president-iohannis-conveys-message/
Sat, 13 Apr 2019 13:09:19 +0000https://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=105451Four Romanian soldiers were wounded Saturday morning in Afghanistan after the insurgents detonated an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were in mission in Kandahar province and were further attacked with infantry weapons. The attack took place Saturday morning in Kandahar Province when several MRAP vehicles (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles) operated by the Battalion 300 […]]]>

Four Romanian soldiers were wounded Saturday morning in Afghanistan after the insurgents detonated an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were in mission in Kandahar province and were further attacked with infantry weapons.

The attack took place Saturday morning in Kandahar Province when several MRAP vehicles (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles) operated by the Battalion 300 Defence Force “St. Andrei” were attacked with an improvised explosive device, followed by an attack with light infantry weapons, according to a press release issued by the Defence Ministry.

The four wounded soldiers were taken to the military hospital of Kandahar Air Base. All four are conscious and in stable condition.

Two of them have fractures of the lower limbs, one has a closed cranial trauma, and the fourth has a thoracic fracture.

The attack took place around 10:00h (Romanian time), the press release issued by the Ministry of Defence informs.

President Klaus Iohannis has conveyed a message on Saturday, following the attack in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, the head of state wishing the four wounded soldiers quick recovery and a lot of strength to go over these critical moments.

“My thoughts are today with the Romanian soldiers wounded during their mission in Afghanistan. I wish them a quick recovery and a great deal of strength to get through these critical moments. I also want to tell their families I stand by them and I assure them that their loved ones receive the best medical care. The Romanian soldiers are always professional and the dedication with which they operate in the theaters of operations contributes to the preservation of international peace and security,” the message conveyed by the head of state reads.

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]]>Supreme Court President, about the SRI protocol: I’ve asked the Prosecutor General’s Office and the SRI for an opinion on declassificationhttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/society-people/supreme-court-president-about-the-sri-protocol-ive-asked-the-prosecutor-generals-office-and-the-sri-for-an-opinion-on-declassification/
Tue, 24 Apr 2018 08:53:55 +0000https://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=88485The President of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ – Supreme Court), Judge Cristina Tarcea, explained that the interception notices issued by the Court had legal basis, despite the contrary opinions, the magistrate stressing that she has already requested an opinion on the declassification of the protocol both from the Prosecutor General’s Office […]]]>

The President of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ – Supreme Court), Judge Cristina Tarcea, explained that the interception notices issued by the Court had legal basis, despite the contrary opinions, the magistrate stressing that she has already requested an opinion on the declassification of the protocol both from the Prosecutor General’s Office and to the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI).

“I have asked for a declassification opinion from the Prosecutor General’s Office and the SRI. It cannot be declassified without these opinions. I do not know what is the story before being concluded, but I have learned relatively recently about its existence, and I have tried to find a logical argument to justify it. It is a misinterpretation that the Court’s interceptions approvals did not have a legal basis. The legal basis was the ECHR decision, which is part of the domestic law and which prohibits opinions handed by prosecutors, as it was provided by Law 51. The issue was that, in the absence of an internal norm, there is no procedure. But I repeat, that is my interpretation, my belief,” said the ICCJ president.

Regarding the information that the ICCJ reportedly has two protocols signed with SRI, the judge said: “It is not true, it is only one, concluded between the ICCJ, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the SRI, signed in 2009. We haven’t found a second one, is not archived at the Court.”

Cristina Tarcea specified that the document was most likely concluded after a decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2007 regarding the violation of the right to private life after conducting national security interceptions by the prosecutors.

“The ECHR decision was issued in 2007, following the ECHR decision that is mandatory in the domestic law, it would have been normal to adopt a law amending Law 51/1991 providing for the procedure to be followed and the judicial competences of a court. I believe this is the reason why that protocol was concluded in 2009, because after the ECHR decision there was no legal framework to guide the courts on the authorization to register, not by the prosecutor’s office. (…) It is no longer valid since February 1, 2014, because by the Law 255/2013, which came into force with the new criminal code, the procedure is regulated by law in terms of granting the interception authorisation by the ICCJ in the case of national security crimes, Cristina Tarcea told Antena 3 TV.

Another protocol was made public on Sunday evening by Antena 3 TV, a collaboration agreement between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Prosecutor’s Office upon the High Court of Cassation and Justice (PICCJ). According to the source, the document was signed in 2011 by the head of the Army’s General Intelligence Directorate and by the PICCJ first deputy prosecutor.

According to the document, the protocol was reportedly approved by the Romanian Prosecutor General at the time, Laura Codruta Kovesi, and the then Defence Minister, Gabriel Oprea, the date of sealing the deal being April 4, 2011.

The plenary sitting of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) examined in March the answers received from the judiciary institutions regarding the protocols concluded with the intelligence bodies.

The council agreed to send the Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) a request to explain the resolution dated 2005 that underlie the protocols. CSM also asked to see the protocol concluded between SRI and PNA (the former name of the National Anti-corruption Directorate) in 2003, but also a point of view of the Justice Ministry on the SRI-Public Ministry protocol.

CSM was to ask the Prosecutor’s Office upon the High Court of Cassation and Justice if its protocol concluded with SRI in 2009 (which was declassified) has been formally denounced and through which document.

]]>Romania to buy the first Patriot system by year-end. The Romanian Air Forces take over three more F-16 Fighting Falconshttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/society-people/romania-to-buy-the-first-patriot-system-by-year-end-the-romanian-air-forces-take-over-three-more-f-16-fighting-falcons/
Wed, 27 Sep 2017 08:33:32 +0000http://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=76402The Romanian Army will buy the first Patriot system by the end of the year, as well as ten Piranha armoured vehicles, Defence Minister Mihai Fifor announced on Wednesday. “The Romanian Army will buy the first Patriot system until the end of the year, we are waiting for the US acceptance letter to be able […]]]>

The Romanian Army will buy the first Patriot system by the end of the year, as well as ten Piranha armoured vehicles, Defence Minister Mihai Fifor announced on Wednesday.

“The Romanian Army will buy the first Patriot system until the end of the year, we are waiting for the US acceptance letter to be able to purchase the first programme. During talks with the US Secretary of Defence, Mattis, we asked for the «dependable under taking» clause, meaning spacing out payments for the Patriot systems for, on one hand, it’s a proof of predictability, and on the other hand, it’s much more convenient to us to be able to provide these systems’ purchase in the upcoming years. We also hope to conclude the negotiation with the General Dynamics by the end of the year and to start collaboration between the Bucharest Mechanic Works and General Dynamics and to purchase the first ten Piranha armoured vehicles within this programme by the year-end,” said DefMin Fifor on Wednesday.

The information on the Patriot missiles purchase was revealed in April when the Romanian Ministry of Defence has sent a request to the US Government, expressing availability to purchase Patriot missiles, with acquisition procedures to start this year.

Three more F-16 Fighting Falcons on their way

On the other hand, the secretary of state for defence and planning policy Mircea Dusa and the head of the Air Force General Staff, Laurian Anastasof, are attending the handing-in ceremony for another three F-16 Fighting Falcon aircrafts in Monte Real air base from Portugal.

By purchasing the three aircrafts, the Romanian Air Forces is ending Phase one to put the F-15 Fighting Falcon multirole aircrafts in service.

The official acceptance ceremony of the three aircrafts will take place at the Air Base 86 in Fetesti, Romania next week.

The contract worth EUR 628 M has become effective as of September 30, 2013.

The first six aircrafts of those 12 multirole squadron in the Romanian-Portuguese agreement have joined the Romanian Air Forces on September 29, 2016 and the next three on December 16, 2016.

At the same time, Defence Minister Mihai Fifor announced on Wednesday that Romania is in advanced talks to purchase 36 more F16s, this time from the United States, and not from Portugal.

Defence Minister added that “he hasn’t gone shopping with the Romanian state’s money” and that he wants through these partnerships to upgrade the Romanian defence industry.

]]>15pc wage increase as of July 1 for the military, pension point up to RON 1,000 – Labour Minister sayshttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/society-people/15pc-wage-increase-as-of-july-1-for-the-military-pension-point-up-to-ron-1000-labour-minister-says/
Mon, 26 Jun 2017 07:43:35 +0000http://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=70702The military and staff under contract with the Ministry of National Defence will have a wage increase of 15% as of July 1, and the pension point will be increased to RON 1,000, Labour Minister Lia Olguţa Vasilescu announced on Sunday. “As of July 1 the unitary wage law for state employees comes into force. […]]]>

The military and staff under contract with the Ministry of National Defence will have a wage increase of 15% as of July 1, and the pension point will be increased to RON 1,000, Labour Minister Lia Olguţa Vasilescu announced on Sunday.

“As of July 1 the unitary wage law for state employees comes into force. We are waiting for the President to have his say, the bill is on his table, however I am confident the law will come into force as of July 1. I’d like to mention that, since early this year, we have issued various emergency ordinances to increase the state employees’ wages – in the health system, education, administration, culture, defence. The military and the staff under contract with the Defence Ministry will have a 15% increase as of July 1, the ordinance has already been adopted,” Vasilescu said.

The Minister added that concomitantly the pension point will grow to RON 1,000 and the retired will collect the first increased pensions after July 1. “I want to tell the pensioners not to worry, as the ordinance is adopted since March, i.e. since the state budget was adopted, the money is included in the budget,” Vasilescu said.

Referring to the new government to be approved by parliament, Olguta Vasilescu said a new governing programme will have to be approved, nevertheless the key issues of the programme during the electoral campaign will remain in place.

]]>TAROM passenger airliner intercepted by Hungarian military aircrafthttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/society-people/tarom-passenger-airliner-intercepted-by-hungarian-military-aircraft/
Fri, 28 Apr 2017 12:48:58 +0000http://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=67235Hungarian military planes took off on Friday to intercept a passenger airliner that had entered the Hungarian airspace without notice, the Hungarian Ministry of Defence, quoted by MTI, informs. The Boeing-737passenger plane was flying from Munich (Germany) to Sibiu (Romania). It entered the Hungarian airspace on Friday at 11:18h local time (09:18h GMT), maintaining his […]]]>

Hungarian military planes took off on Friday to intercept a passenger airliner that had entered the Hungarian airspace without notice, the Hungarian Ministry of Defence, quoted by MTI, informs.

The Boeing-737passenger plane was flying from Munich (Germany) to Sibiu (Romania). It entered the Hungarian airspace on Friday at 11:18h local time (09:18h GMT), maintaining his flight lane, but failed to establish the link with the Hungarian air traffic control, realitatea.net informs.

Shortly, the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre has alerted the Gripen (Swedish production) military aircraft of the Hungarian armed forces, which have identified the airplane and escorted it to the Hungarian-Romanian border.

Following its interception by Hungarian military aircraft, the Boeing-737 established contact with the air traffic control at 11:36h local time (09:36h GMT), the ministry added.

According to the Flightradar24.com website, the Munich-Sibiu flight was operated by the Romanian airline company TAROM.

]]>Update: NATO Day – celebrated in Romania. President Iohannis: We’ll be next to our allieshttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/society-people/update-nato-day-celebrated-in-romania-president-iohannis-well-be-next-to-our-allies/
Sun, 02 Apr 2017 07:55:51 +0000http://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=65479NATO Day is celebrated in Romania since 2005, on the first Sunday in April, under a legislative proposal. In 2017, the NATO Day in Romania is celebrated on Sunday, April 2. The choice of date takes into account the proximity of the official date of accession to NATO (March 29, 2004) and the date of […]]]>

NATO Day is celebrated in Romania since 2005, on the first Sunday in April, under a legislative proposal. In 2017, the NATO Day in Romania is celebrated on Sunday, April 2.

The choice of date takes into account the proximity of the official date of accession to NATO (March 29, 2004) and the date of hoisting the Romanian flag at NATO headquarters in Brussels (April 2, 2004).

In a message he sent on this occasion, President Klaus Iohannis said the collective allied defence means today more than ever the awareness of the fact that each and every country’s security could be more efficiently secured together instead of separately.

“Today, 2 April 2017, we celebrate as we always do on the very first Sunday of April “NATO Day in Romania.” The moment marks our country’s membership to the most powerful political and military alliance in history and to a community of values and principles, of which the respect towards democracy and the rule of law stand out. Therefore, for almost one decade the Romanian citizens enjoy the strongest security and defence guarantees in the history of our modern national history. To Romania, the NATO has become part of our identity as a nation and at the same time the path to put into practice our national security interests. The Alliance has offered democratic Romania a chance to validate for good its democratic, pro-Western vocation,” the head of state said in his message.

Iohannis asserts that the Strategic Partnership with the United States of America, the NATO and EU membership are the basics of our foreign policy, and the construction of strong Romania in Europe and in the world is tightly connected to them.

“We are and will be alongside our allies in the operations theatres, in the command structures and in the training centres, as well as in the politico-military structures where the grounds of the collective security of all of the allied countries’ and partners’ citizens are put. We will be there so we could proudly say not only that “Romania is in the NATO” but also that “NATO means Romania, too,” President Iohannis said in his message.

The NATO Day was celebrated through a series of events organized in all localities where military units are located, in countries where Romania has accredited defence attaches and in the military bases in the operational theatres where Romanian troops are deployed. Staffs of all categories of military forces, the headquarters, the military units across the country organize military ceremonies, open days, cultural, artistic and sports activities, conferences and exhibitions on this occasion.

In 2016, on the occasion of NATO Day in Romania, in the Open Days event, the Ministry of National Defence was open to the public, and a military ceremony dedicated to our country’s accession to NATO was held.

“NATO Day is a public holiday dedicated to democracy, to the European and to the Euro-Atlantic spirit,” the MoD says.

]]>President Iohannis: CSAT approves Romania’s objectives at the NATO Summit in Brussels. 120 military to be sent to Polandhttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/politics/president-iohannis-csat-approves-romanias-objectives-at-the-nato-summit-in-brussels-120-military-to-be-sent-to-poland/
Tue, 21 Mar 2017 13:36:44 +0000http://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=64717The National Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) has approved Romania’s objectives at the NATO Summit in Brussels, President Klaus Iohannis announced on Tuesday. “We have approved Romania’s objectives at the NATO Summit in Brussels, which will take place this spring, probably in late May. (…) Romania expectations are mainly related to reconfirming the importance and soundness […]]]>

The National Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) has approved Romania’s objectives at the NATO Summit in Brussels, President Klaus Iohannis announced on Tuesday.

“We have approved Romania’s objectives at the NATO Summit in Brussels, which will take place this spring, probably in late May. (…) Romania expectations are mainly related to reconfirming the importance and soundness of the transatlantic relationship, a relationship of unity and solidarity among allies. We expect the NATO summit to highlight Romania’s contribution to NATO and to maintain the strategic importance of the Black Sea. (…) In the CSAT sitting we analyzed the activity of the Ministry of Defence, MAI, SRI, SIE, STS. Finally we analyzed the CSAT activity in 2016, the report will be sent to Parliament for approval,” the head of state said at Cotroceni Palace, after the CSAT sitting.

Klaus Iohannis announced that Romania will send 120 military to Poland to the NATO combat group. Moreover, the President said that CSAT has approved a programme to equip the Army as a result of the allocation of 2% of GDP for the MoD. CSAT also analysed the activity of the institutions in the security system in 2016 and concluded they have fulfilled their duties.

“Important decisions concerning the national defence and national security were made. On Friday we approved the participation of Romania in consolidated NATO group combat in Poland. Thus in 2017 Romania will be present with 120 military in this combat group will aim at ensuring security. We have informed the Parliament on this issue. The first topic was referring to meeting the targets in 2016 in terms of army endowment programme. We approved today an updated form of this programme, as a result of allocation of 2% of GDP for the MoD. I emphasize that the allocation of 2% of GDP has a double impact on national security: on the one hand it requires the updating of measures for army endowment, on the other hand it will help revitalize the national defence industry. By implementing the updated programme, essential programmes for procurement and the participation of the national companies will be initiated: 8×8 and 4×4 armoured personnel carriers, multirole aircraft, command and control systems and the corvettes,” President Iohannis said.

]]>500 soldiers from eight countries take part in multinational exercise Platinum Eagle 17.1https://www.romaniajournal.ro/society-people/500-soldiers-from-eight-countries-take-part-in-multinational-exercise-platinum-eagle-17-1/
Mon, 20 Feb 2017 14:56:46 +0000http://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=62807A total of 500 soldiers from Bulgaria, FYROM, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine and the United States participate, as of Monday until March 1 in the multinational exercise ‘Platinum Eagle 17.1’ in Smârdan shooting range in Galati County, the Ministry of Defence informs. According to a press release issued on Monday by the MoD, the […]]]>

A total of 500 soldiers from Bulgaria, FYROM, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine and the United States participate, as of Monday until March 1 in the multinational exercise ‘Platinum Eagle 17.1’ in Smârdan shooting range in Galati County, the Ministry of Defence informs.

According to a press release issued on Monday by the MoD, the Romanian Army will be represented by 100 soldiers from the Land Forces of the 2nd Infantry Battalion ‘Calugareni’, the 1st Mechanized Brigade ‘Argedava’, 15 JTAC (air controllers for heading positions) and 30 Navy soldiers of the 307th Infantry Marines Battalion.

“The main objective of ‘Platinum Eagle 17.1’ is the joint training of the participating subunits in a unitary concept to maintain the operational capacity and to increase interoperability by exercising the command and control procedures as well as firing weaponry,” the quoted source added.

As mentioned by the MoD, the Black Sea Rotational Force 17 is an annual drill led by US Marine Forces Command deployed in Europe and Africa, being held in the Black Sea, in the Balkans and the Caucasus region.

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]]>Chief of General Staff – Official visit to the UShttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/society-people/chief-of-general-staff-official-visit-to-the-us/
Mon, 20 Feb 2017 09:56:25 +0000http://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=62768General Nicolae Ciuca, Chief of General Staff, is paying a working visit to the US, and will have a meeting with General Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs and will take part to a symposium of special operations forces. The meeting with US counterpart is a special occasion to develop […]]]>

General Nicolae Ciuca, Chief of General Staff, is paying a working visit to the US, and will have a meeting with General Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs and will take part to a symposium of special operations forces.

The meeting with US counterpart is a special occasion to develop the strategic partnership between Romania and the US in the military field, on the agenda being topics related to the Black Sea significance for European and international security, Romania’s position and role as contributor to security, the US commitments in terms of security on the eastern flank of the Alliance, the MoD informs on its website.

During the visit February 19-25, the talks will be focused on the US-Romania cooperation in operational theatres, the Romanian programmes to modernize the armed forces and to identify ways to support it.

The Chief of General Staff will participate in the symposium organized by Global Special Operations Forces Foundation, to the talks about adapting the special forces to the new security challenges. General Ciuca will deliver the presentation “Transforming special operations forces – Romanian Army’s strategic priority.”

]]>Defence Minister meets US Ambassador Klemm, talks focus on strategic partnership, the 2pc budgetary allocationhttps://www.romaniajournal.ro/politics/defence-minister-meets-us-ambassador-klemm-talks-focus-on-strategic-partnership-the-2pc-budgetary-allocation/
Fri, 27 Jan 2017 13:42:31 +0000http://www.romaniajournal.ro/?p=61155Defence Minister Gabriel-Beniamin Les has had talks on Friday with the US Ambassador Hans Klemm, the discussions focusing on the cooperation on bilateral defence and within NATO, about the budgetary allocation for defence of 2% of GDP and about the development of the strategic partnership. The defence Minister stressed that “the US involvement is capital […]]]>

Defence Minister Gabriel-Beniamin Les has had talks on Friday with the US Ambassador Hans Klemm, the discussions focusing on the cooperation on bilateral defence and within NATO, about the budgetary allocation for defence of 2% of GDP and about the development of the strategic partnership.

The defence Minister stressed that “the US involvement is capital for strengthening the defence and for the discouragement of any threats and risks against European security, especially on the Eastern flank of the Alliance.”

“During the meeting, the two officials have approached current topics on the regional and international security environment, as well as the directions to intensify the defence cooperation bilaterally and within the North Atlantic Alliance,” a Ministry of Defence release informs, as quoted by hotnews.ro.

Minister Les underscored the government’s strategic priorities in defence and security, focused on the commitment to provide 2% of the GDP for defence and stressed the importance Romania attaches to the development of the Strategic Partnership with the US.

The minister also stressed the importance of the US strong commitment and the presence of US military on the national territory, the essential involvement of the US to strengthen the defence on NATO’s Eastern flank.

Issues related to the implementation of decisions adopted at the NATO summit in Warsaw and the importance of the Black Sea for the entire Euro-Atlantic stability were also discussed.

“Ambassador Klemm has thanked for Romania’s essential contribution to regional and international security, underlining the operational efforts of the Romanian Armed Forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and other theatres of operations. The Ambassador reiterated the Washington authorities’ strong commitment to consolidate the defence within the Strategic Partnership, resulting in the increase of the US military presence in the region and in the intensification of bilateral programmes in terms of training and drills,” the MoD release reads.